• 30-Day Stabilization: Conduct operational audit, build credibility, identify quick wins
• 60-90 Day Execution: Implement operational improvements, drive cross-functional initiatives, build KPI dashboards
• 120-180 Day Transition: Transition to permanent leader, complete knowledge transfer, ensure sustainability

• 15+ years operational leadership (COO, VP Operations, General Manager)
• Proven success in interim/turnaround roles (2+ previous engagements)
• Track record of leading operational transformation
• Crisis management and rapid decision-making capability
• Strategic operations and execution excellence
• Change leadership and team development

• Operational audit and gap analysis complete by Day 25
• Quick wins identified and initiated by Day 30
• Team stability achieved (no unplanned departures)
• KPI improvements visible by Day 60
• All improvements sustainable and documented by Day 90

Stage	Duration	Key Activities	Red Flags
Resume Screening	1-2 hours	Pattern recognition, verify interim history, understand progression	Unexplained gaps, vague titles, no operational P&L
Portfolio Review	2-3 hours	Request case studies, process docs, success metrics from past roles	Minimal documentation, couldn't describe impact, vague results
Technical Interview	2 hours	Scenario-based: crisis diagnosis, change leadership, stakeholder credibility	No clear framework, slow decision-making, lacks industry knowledge
Reference Calls	30 min each (3 refs)	Verify track record, ask about stickiness of changes, gaps to improve	References can't speak to results, vague about impact, hesitant to recommend

Focus: Verify pattern of interim/turnaround experience and success

• "Walk me through your last three interim roles. What was broken in each?"
• "Which role are you most proud of? Why didn't one work out as well?"
• "Why do you gravitate toward interim roles rather than permanent?"
• "What's the shortest engagement you took and why? The longest?"
• "What surprised you most when starting your most recent interim role?"

Focus: Can they diagnose problems systematically and quickly?

• "Walk me through a situation where you inherited an operational disaster."
• "How do you prioritize urgent vs. important problems in the first 30 days?"
• "Tell me about a problem others didn't see. How did you convince them it mattered?"
• "What's your most memorable quick win? How did you pick it?"
• "Describe your diagnostic process in the first two weeks."

Focus: Can they lead change and build credibility?

• "Describe a major operational change you led. What resistance did you face?"
• "Tell me about a decision you made with incomplete information."
• "How do you build credibility with a skeptical team you didn't hire?"
• "Tell me about a key team member who resisted you."
• "What's your approach to implementing major system or process change?"

Focus: Do they think about lasting impact, not just short-term wins?

• "How do you ensure improvements stick after you leave?"
• "Tell me about handing off to your successor."
• "Do you stay in touch after leaving? What typically happens to your changes?"
• "What's an initiative that didn't survive? What did you learn?"
• "How do you balance short-term wins with long-term sustainability?"

Focus: Can they think specifically about your situation?

• "Here's our situation... What's your initial reaction?"
• "What expertise from your past is most relevant to us?"
• "What concerns you most about this role?"
• "What would you do in your first week?"
• "What do you need from me to succeed in this role?"

Phase	Duration	Key Activities
Pre-Screening	3-5 days	Job description finalized, recruiter briefed
Candidate Sourcing	5-10 days	Outreach, preliminary interviews, candidate pool of 3-5
Vetting	3-7 days	Reference checks, portfolio review, 2-3 finalists
Formal Interviews	5-10 days	CEO/board interviews, final references
Offer & Negotiation	2-5 days	Contract terms, final approval
Onboarding Prep	3-7 days	Background check, paperwork, start date
TOTAL	21-44 days	Ready to start

• ✓ Existing relationships with interim firms
• ✓ Clear job specification (no back-and-forth)
• ✓ Candidate available immediately
• ✓ Parallel interview process (CEO/board available same week)
• ✓ Simple contract terms (no complex negotiation)

• ✗ First time hiring interim executive
• ✗ Vague job requirements (multiple refinement rounds)
• ✗ Leadership traveling or unavailable
• ✗ Salary/terms negotiation (gap in expectations)
• ✗ Multiple stakeholders needed for alignment
• ✗ Specialized expertise needed (smaller candidate pool)
• ✗ Extended reference checking (hard to reach references)

Company Revenue	Monthly Rate	Annual Equivalent	Typical Length
$5-20M	$20,000-$28,000	$240,000-$336,000	6 months
$20-100M	$28,000-$40,000	$336,000-$480,000	6-9 months
$100M-1B	$40,000-$60,000+	$480,000-$720,000+	9-12 months
$1B+	$60,000-$100,000+	$720,000-$1.2M+	12+ months

Urgency	IMMEDIATE (2 weeks)
Rate	$28,000/month
Duration	6 months
Total Cost	$168,000

Urgency	HIGH (integration timeline)
Rate	$35,000/month (with benefits)
Duration	9 months
Total Cost	$315,000

• Model: $X per month, paid on standard payroll schedule
• Best For: Predictable W-2 employee structure
• Example: $32,000/month = $384K annually
• Pros: Simple, predictable budgeting, standard practice
• Cons: No performance tie-in, fixed cost regardless of results

• Model: Base + 15-20% bonus tied to KPI achievement
• Example: Base $28K/month + $2K-$5K/month for hitting targets
• Pros: Aligns incentives, rewards results
• Cons: Can seem cheap if base too low, disputes over metrics

• Model: $X per phase/milestone
• Example: $120K for 30-90 day stabilization + $80K for transition
• Pros: Aligns cost with deliverables, incentivizes progress
• Cons: Conflict if scope shifts, harder to track cash flow

Option	Status	Best For	Cost Impact
W-2 Employee	Direct employee, company withholds taxes	Longer engagements (6+ mo), contract-to-hire possible	+5-10% (payroll taxes)
1099 Contractor	Self-employed, individual pays taxes	Standard interim engagements, quick deployment	No premium (candidate absorbs taxes)
Search Firm Placement	Placed through staffing firm	Complex hires, urgent need, want guarantee	+15-25% (placement fee)

Design Principle: Bonus should be achievable (50%+ chance) and meaningful (15-20% of base).

• Base: $32,000/month = $192,000 total
• Target Bonus: $38,400 (20% of base)

• Team Stability (40%): Retain 95%+ of team → $15,360
• Cost Reduction (30%): Identify $200K+ reductions → $11,520
• Documentation (20%): Document 80% of processes → $7,680
• Transition Ready (10%): Successor onboarded → $3,840

Cost Category	Typical Amount	Notes
Direct Compensation	$28K-$40K/mo	Base salary/retainer
Performance Bonus	15-20% of base	If using incentive structure
Recruiting/Search Firm	15-25% annual | $84K-120K	Only if using firm placement
Onboarding/Setup	$9K-26K one-time	Laptop, software, background check, legal
Executive Coaching	$1K-5K/month	Optional for difficult transitions
Operational Support	$3K-5K/month	Executive assistant, office, travel

• Base salary: $192,000 ($32K × 6 months)
• Performance bonus (20%): $38,400
• Search firm fee (20% annual): $76,800
• Onboarding/setup: $15,000
• Executive support: $18,000
• TOTAL: ~$340,000 (or ~$57K/month)

• [ ] Send curated info packet: org chart, financials, strategy docs, recent audit
• [ ] 60-minute pre-start call: context, expectations, first 90-day vision
• [ ] IT setup: laptop, email, VPN, tool access, phone
• [ ] Office/workspace setup: desk, parking, access badges
• [ ] Calendar pre-loaded: CEO meeting, board intro, direct reports meetings
• [ ] Payroll/contractor onboarding completed
• [ ] Background check and legal paperwork finalized

• 9:00 AM: Welcome & office tour (30 min)
• 9:30 AM: 1-on-1 with CEO (60 min) → Context and decision authority
• 11:00 AM: IT/systems orientation (30 min)
• 12:00 PM: Team lunch (informal relationship building)
• 1:30 PM: Org overview presentation (45 min)
• 2:30 PM: Org-wide welcome email sent
• 3:00 PM+: Solo work processing information

• Key Principle: Listen 80%, talk 20%
• Activities: 1-on-1s with leadership team (30 min each, 6-8 meetings)
• Observation: Operations walk, customer calls, team interactions
• No Decisions: Collect information first, analyze later
• End of Week 5: CEO debrief on initial observations

Deliverable	Format	Completion Target	Audience
Operational Gap Analysis	20-30 page document	Day 20-25	CEO, board
Process Inventory	Google Sheet (50-100 processes)	Day 25	Operations leadership
Quick Wins List	5-page summary (3-5 initiatives)	Day 25	CEO, leadership team
KPI Dashboard	Live dashboard or weekly report	Day 30	CEO, board
Risk Register	Document (all identified risks)	Day 30	CEO, board

• ✓ Stakeholder engagement: 90%+ of leadership team met
• ✓ Gap analysis complete and insights documented
• ✓ Quick wins identified with clear timelines
• ✓ Team stability achieved (no unplanned departures)
• ✓ Clear decision-making framework established

Theme: Listen, understand, build credibility

Milestone	Target Date	Success Criteria
Stakeholder onboarding	Day 20	90%+ of leadership team met
Gap analysis documented	Day 25	20-30 page assessment complete
Quick wins identified	Day 25	3-5 initiatives scoped
KPI dashboard live	Day 30	12-15 metrics tracked
90-day roadmap approved	Day 30	CEO & board aligned

Theme: Deliver quick wins, build team confidence, drive changes

• Quick wins launched and showing results (50% complete)
• Process documentation 40-50% underway
• Early improvements visible to organization
• Team restructuring (if needed) communicated
• First round of KPI improvements visible

Theme: Embed sustainable changes, prepare transition, plan next phase

Milestone	Target Date	Success Criteria
All quick wins complete	Day 75	90%+ delivered
Process improvements sustainable	Day 80	Owned by teams, not interim
Successor plan finalized	Day 85	Internal or external identified
Full documentation complete	Day 90	90% of knowledge transferred
Transition plan executed	Day 90	Successor confident & aligned

• 30-Day Stabilization: Conduct operational audit, build credibility, identify quick wins
• 60-90 Day Execution: Implement operational improvements, drive cross-functional initiatives, build KPI dashboards
• 120-180 Day Transition: Transition to permanent leader, complete knowledge transfer, ensure sustainability

• 15+ years operational leadership (COO, VP Operations, General Manager)
• Proven success in interim/turnaround roles (2+ previous engagements)
• Track record of leading operational transformation
• Crisis management and rapid decision-making capability
• Strategic operations and execution excellence
• Change leadership and team development

• Operational audit and gap analysis complete by Day 25
• Quick wins identified and initiated by Day 30
• Team stability achieved (no unplanned departures)
• KPI improvements visible by Day 60
• All improvements sustainable and documented by Day 90

Stage	Duration	Key Activities	Red Flags
Resume Screening	1-2 hours	Pattern recognition, verify interim history, understand progression	Unexplained gaps, vague titles, no operational P&L
Portfolio Review	2-3 hours	Request case studies, process docs, success metrics from past roles	Minimal documentation, couldn't describe impact, vague results
Technical Interview	2 hours	Scenario-based: crisis diagnosis, change leadership, stakeholder credibility	No clear framework, slow decision-making, lacks industry knowledge
Reference Calls	30 min each (3 refs)	Verify track record, ask about stickiness of changes, gaps to improve	References can't speak to results, vague about impact, hesitant to recommend

Focus: Verify pattern of interim/turnaround experience and success

• "Walk me through your last three interim roles. What was broken in each?"
• "Which role are you most proud of? Why didn't one work out as well?"
• "Why do you gravitate toward interim roles rather than permanent?"
• "What's the shortest engagement you took and why? The longest?"
• "What surprised you most when starting your most recent interim role?"

Focus: Can they diagnose problems systematically and quickly?

• "Walk me through a situation where you inherited an operational disaster."
• "How do you prioritize urgent vs. important problems in the first 30 days?"
• "Tell me about a problem others didn't see. How did you convince them it mattered?"
• "What's your most memorable quick win? How did you pick it?"
• "Describe your diagnostic process in the first two weeks."

Focus: Can they lead change and build credibility?

• "Describe a major operational change you led. What resistance did you face?"
• "Tell me about a decision you made with incomplete information."
• "How do you build credibility with a skeptical team you didn't hire?"
• "Tell me about a key team member who resisted you."
• "What's your approach to implementing major system or process change?"

Focus: Do they think about lasting impact, not just short-term wins?

• "How do you ensure improvements stick after you leave?"
• "Tell me about handing off to your successor."
• "Do you stay in touch after leaving? What typically happens to your changes?"
• "What's an initiative that didn't survive? What did you learn?"
• "How do you balance short-term wins with long-term sustainability?"

Focus: Can they think specifically about your situation?

• "Here's our situation... What's your initial reaction?"
• "What expertise from your past is most relevant to us?"
• "What concerns you most about this role?"
• "What would you do in your first week?"
• "What do you need from me to succeed in this role?"

Phase	Duration	Key Activities
Pre-Screening	3-5 days	Job description finalized, recruiter briefed
Candidate Sourcing	5-10 days	Outreach, preliminary interviews, candidate pool of 3-5
Vetting	3-7 days	Reference checks, portfolio review, 2-3 finalists
Formal Interviews	5-10 days	CEO/board interviews, final references
Offer & Negotiation	2-5 days	Contract terms, final approval
Onboarding Prep	3-7 days	Background check, paperwork, start date
TOTAL	21-44 days	Ready to start

• ✓ Existing relationships with interim firms
• ✓ Clear job specification (no back-and-forth)
• ✓ Candidate available immediately
• ✓ Parallel interview process (CEO/board available same week)
• ✓ Simple contract terms (no complex negotiation)

• ✗ First time hiring interim executive
• ✗ Vague job requirements (multiple refinement rounds)
• ✗ Leadership traveling or unavailable
• ✗ Salary/terms negotiation (gap in expectations)
• ✗ Multiple stakeholders needed for alignment
• ✗ Specialized expertise needed (smaller candidate pool)
• ✗ Extended reference checking (hard to reach references)

Company Revenue	Monthly Rate	Annual Equivalent	Typical Length
$5-20M	$20,000-$28,000	$240,000-$336,000	6 months
$20-100M	$28,000-$40,000	$336,000-$480,000	6-9 months
$100M-1B	$40,000-$60,000+	$480,000-$720,000+	9-12 months
$1B+	$60,000-$100,000+	$720,000-$1.2M+	12+ months

Urgency	IMMEDIATE (2 weeks)
Rate	$28,000/month
Duration	6 months
Total Cost	$168,000

Urgency	HIGH (integration timeline)
Rate	$35,000/month (with benefits)
Duration	9 months
Total Cost	$315,000

• Model: $X per month, paid on standard payroll schedule
• Best For: Predictable W-2 employee structure
• Example: $32,000/month = $384K annually
• Pros: Simple, predictable budgeting, standard practice
• Cons: No performance tie-in, fixed cost regardless of results

• Model: Base + 15-20% bonus tied to KPI achievement
• Example: Base $28K/month + $2K-$5K/month for hitting targets
• Pros: Aligns incentives, rewards results
• Cons: Can seem cheap if base too low, disputes over metrics

• Model: $X per phase/milestone
• Example: $120K for 30-90 day stabilization + $80K for transition
• Pros: Aligns cost with deliverables, incentivizes progress
• Cons: Conflict if scope shifts, harder to track cash flow

Option	Status	Best For	Cost Impact
W-2 Employee	Direct employee, company withholds taxes	Longer engagements (6+ mo), contract-to-hire possible	+5-10% (payroll taxes)
1099 Contractor	Self-employed, individual pays taxes	Standard interim engagements, quick deployment	No premium (candidate absorbs taxes)
Search Firm Placement	Placed through staffing firm	Complex hires, urgent need, want guarantee	+15-25% (placement fee)

Design Principle: Bonus should be achievable (50%+ chance) and meaningful (15-20% of base).

• Base: $32,000/month = $192,000 total
• Target Bonus: $38,400 (20% of base)

• Team Stability (40%): Retain 95%+ of team → $15,360
• Cost Reduction (30%): Identify $200K+ reductions → $11,520
• Documentation (20%): Document 80% of processes → $7,680
• Transition Ready (10%): Successor onboarded → $3,840

Cost Category	Typical Amount	Notes
Direct Compensation	$28K-$40K/mo	Base salary/retainer
Performance Bonus	15-20% of base	If using incentive structure
Recruiting/Search Firm	15-25% annual | $84K-120K	Only if using firm placement
Onboarding/Setup	$9K-26K one-time	Laptop, software, background check, legal
Executive Coaching	$1K-5K/month	Optional for difficult transitions
Operational Support	$3K-5K/month	Executive assistant, office, travel

• Base salary: $192,000 ($32K × 6 months)
• Performance bonus (20%): $38,400
• Search firm fee (20% annual): $76,800
• Onboarding/setup: $15,000
• Executive support: $18,000
• TOTAL: ~$340,000 (or ~$57K/month)

• [ ] Send curated info packet: org chart, financials, strategy docs, recent audit
• [ ] 60-minute pre-start call: context, expectations, first 90-day vision
• [ ] IT setup: laptop, email, VPN, tool access, phone
• [ ] Office/workspace setup: desk, parking, access badges
• [ ] Calendar pre-loaded: CEO meeting, board intro, direct reports meetings
• [ ] Payroll/contractor onboarding completed
• [ ] Background check and legal paperwork finalized

• 9:00 AM: Welcome & office tour (30 min)
• 9:30 AM: 1-on-1 with CEO (60 min) → Context and decision authority
• 11:00 AM: IT/systems orientation (30 min)
• 12:00 PM: Team lunch (informal relationship building)
• 1:30 PM: Org overview presentation (45 min)
• 2:30 PM: Org-wide welcome email sent
• 3:00 PM+: Solo work processing information

• Key Principle: Listen 80%, talk 20%
• Activities: 1-on-1s with leadership team (30 min each, 6-8 meetings)
• Observation: Operations walk, customer calls, team interactions
• No Decisions: Collect information first, analyze later
• End of Week 5: CEO debrief on initial observations

Deliverable	Format	Completion Target	Audience
Operational Gap Analysis	20-30 page document	Day 20-25	CEO, board
Process Inventory	Google Sheet (50-100 processes)	Day 25	Operations leadership
Quick Wins List	5-page summary (3-5 initiatives)	Day 25	CEO, leadership team
KPI Dashboard	Live dashboard or weekly report	Day 30	CEO, board
Risk Register	Document (all identified risks)	Day 30	CEO, board

• ✓ Stakeholder engagement: 90%+ of leadership team met
• ✓ Gap analysis complete and insights documented
• ✓ Quick wins identified with clear timelines
• ✓ Team stability achieved (no unplanned departures)
• ✓ Clear decision-making framework established

Theme: Listen, understand, build credibility

Milestone	Target Date	Success Criteria
Stakeholder onboarding	Day 20	90%+ of leadership team met
Gap analysis documented	Day 25	20-30 page assessment complete
Quick wins identified	Day 25	3-5 initiatives scoped
KPI dashboard live	Day 30	12-15 metrics tracked
90-day roadmap approved	Day 30	CEO & board aligned

Theme: Deliver quick wins, build team confidence, drive changes

• Quick wins launched and showing results (50% complete)
• Process documentation 40-50% underway
• Early improvements visible to organization
• Team restructuring (if needed) communicated
• First round of KPI improvements visible

Theme: Embed sustainable changes, prepare transition, plan next phase

Milestone	Target Date	Success Criteria
All quick wins complete	Day 75	90%+ delivered
Process improvements sustainable	Day 80	Owned by teams, not interim
Successor plan finalized	Day 85	Internal or external identified
Full documentation complete	Day 90	90% of knowledge transferred
Transition plan executed	Day 90	Successor confident & aligned

• 30-Day Stabilization: Conduct operational audit, build credibility, identify quick wins
• 60-90 Day Execution: Implement operational improvements, drive cross-functional initiatives, build KPI dashboards
• 120-180 Day Transition: Transition to permanent leader, complete knowledge transfer, ensure sustainability

• 15+ years operational leadership (COO, VP Operations, General Manager)
• Proven success in interim/turnaround roles (2+ previous engagements)
• Track record of leading operational transformation
• Crisis management and rapid decision-making capability
• Strategic operations and execution excellence
• Change leadership and team development

• Operational audit and gap analysis complete by Day 25
• Quick wins identified and initiated by Day 30
• Team stability achieved (no unplanned departures)
• KPI improvements visible by Day 60
• All improvements sustainable and documented by Day 90

Stage	Duration	Key Activities	Red Flags
Resume Screening	1-2 hours	Pattern recognition, verify interim history, understand progression	Unexplained gaps, vague titles, no operational P&L
Portfolio Review	2-3 hours	Request case studies, process docs, success metrics from past roles	Minimal documentation, couldn't describe impact, vague results
Technical Interview	2 hours	Scenario-based: crisis diagnosis, change leadership, stakeholder credibility	No clear framework, slow decision-making, lacks industry knowledge
Reference Calls	30 min each (3 refs)	Verify track record, ask about stickiness of changes, gaps to improve	References can't speak to results, vague about impact, hesitant to recommend

Focus: Verify pattern of interim/turnaround experience and success

• "Walk me through your last three interim roles. What was broken in each?"
• "Which role are you most proud of? Why didn't one work out as well?"
• "Why do you gravitate toward interim roles rather than permanent?"
• "What's the shortest engagement you took and why? The longest?"
• "What surprised you most when starting your most recent interim role?"

Focus: Can they diagnose problems systematically and quickly?

• "Walk me through a situation where you inherited an operational disaster."
• "How do you prioritize urgent vs. important problems in the first 30 days?"
• "Tell me about a problem others didn't see. How did you convince them it mattered?"
• "What's your most memorable quick win? How did you pick it?"
• "Describe your diagnostic process in the first two weeks."

Focus: Can they lead change and build credibility?

• "Describe a major operational change you led. What resistance did you face?"
• "Tell me about a decision you made with incomplete information."
• "How do you build credibility with a skeptical team you didn't hire?"
• "Tell me about a key team member who resisted you."
• "What's your approach to implementing major system or process change?"

Focus: Do they think about lasting impact, not just short-term wins?

• "How do you ensure improvements stick after you leave?"
• "Tell me about handing off to your successor."
• "Do you stay in touch after leaving? What typically happens to your changes?"
• "What's an initiative that didn't survive? What did you learn?"
• "How do you balance short-term wins with long-term sustainability?"

Focus: Can they think specifically about your situation?

• "Here's our situation... What's your initial reaction?"
• "What expertise from your past is most relevant to us?"
• "What concerns you most about this role?"
• "What would you do in your first week?"
• "What do you need from me to succeed in this role?"

Phase	Duration	Key Activities
Pre-Screening	3-5 days	Job description finalized, recruiter briefed
Candidate Sourcing	5-10 days	Outreach, preliminary interviews, candidate pool of 3-5
Vetting	3-7 days	Reference checks, portfolio review, 2-3 finalists
Formal Interviews	5-10 days	CEO/board interviews, final references
Offer & Negotiation	2-5 days	Contract terms, final approval
Onboarding Prep	3-7 days	Background check, paperwork, start date
TOTAL	21-44 days	Ready to start

• ✓ Existing relationships with interim firms
• ✓ Clear job specification (no back-and-forth)
• ✓ Candidate available immediately
• ✓ Parallel interview process (CEO/board available same week)
• ✓ Simple contract terms (no complex negotiation)

• ✗ First time hiring interim executive
• ✗ Vague job requirements (multiple refinement rounds)
• ✗ Leadership traveling or unavailable
• ✗ Salary/terms negotiation (gap in expectations)
• ✗ Multiple stakeholders needed for alignment
• ✗ Specialized expertise needed (smaller candidate pool)
• ✗ Extended reference checking (hard to reach references)

Company Revenue	Monthly Rate	Annual Equivalent	Typical Length
$5-20M	$20,000-$28,000	$240,000-$336,000	6 months
$20-100M	$28,000-$40,000	$336,000-$480,000	6-9 months
$100M-1B	$40,000-$60,000+	$480,000-$720,000+	9-12 months
$1B+	$60,000-$100,000+	$720,000-$1.2M+	12+ months

Urgency	IMMEDIATE (2 weeks)
Rate	$28,000/month
Duration	6 months
Total Cost	$168,000

Urgency	HIGH (integration timeline)
Rate	$35,000/month (with benefits)
Duration	9 months
Total Cost	$315,000

• Model: $X per month, paid on standard payroll schedule
• Best For: Predictable W-2 employee structure
• Example: $32,000/month = $384K annually
• Pros: Simple, predictable budgeting, standard practice
• Cons: No performance tie-in, fixed cost regardless of results

• Model: Base + 15-20% bonus tied to KPI achievement
• Example: Base $28K/month + $2K-$5K/month for hitting targets
• Pros: Aligns incentives, rewards results
• Cons: Can seem cheap if base too low, disputes over metrics

• Model: $X per phase/milestone
• Example: $120K for 30-90 day stabilization + $80K for transition
• Pros: Aligns cost with deliverables, incentivizes progress
• Cons: Conflict if scope shifts, harder to track cash flow

Option	Status	Best For	Cost Impact
W-2 Employee	Direct employee, company withholds taxes	Longer engagements (6+ mo), contract-to-hire possible	+5-10% (payroll taxes)
1099 Contractor	Self-employed, individual pays taxes	Standard interim engagements, quick deployment	No premium (candidate absorbs taxes)
Search Firm Placement	Placed through staffing firm	Complex hires, urgent need, want guarantee	+15-25% (placement fee)

Design Principle: Bonus should be achievable (50%+ chance) and meaningful (15-20% of base).

• Base: $32,000/month = $192,000 total
• Target Bonus: $38,400 (20% of base)

• Team Stability (40%): Retain 95%+ of team → $15,360
• Cost Reduction (30%): Identify $200K+ reductions → $11,520
• Documentation (20%): Document 80% of processes → $7,680
• Transition Ready (10%): Successor onboarded → $3,840

Cost Category	Typical Amount	Notes
Direct Compensation	$28K-$40K/mo	Base salary/retainer
Performance Bonus	15-20% of base	If using incentive structure
Recruiting/Search Firm	15-25% annual | $84K-120K	Only if using firm placement
Onboarding/Setup	$9K-26K one-time	Laptop, software, background check, legal
Executive Coaching	$1K-5K/month	Optional for difficult transitions
Operational Support	$3K-5K/month	Executive assistant, office, travel

• Base salary: $192,000 ($32K × 6 months)
• Performance bonus (20%): $38,400
• Search firm fee (20% annual): $76,800
• Onboarding/setup: $15,000
• Executive support: $18,000
• TOTAL: ~$340,000 (or ~$57K/month)

• [ ] Send curated info packet: org chart, financials, strategy docs, recent audit
• [ ] 60-minute pre-start call: context, expectations, first 90-day vision
• [ ] IT setup: laptop, email, VPN, tool access, phone
• [ ] Office/workspace setup: desk, parking, access badges
• [ ] Calendar pre-loaded: CEO meeting, board intro, direct reports meetings
• [ ] Payroll/contractor onboarding completed
• [ ] Background check and legal paperwork finalized

• 9:00 AM: Welcome & office tour (30 min)
• 9:30 AM: 1-on-1 with CEO (60 min) → Context and decision authority
• 11:00 AM: IT/systems orientation (30 min)
• 12:00 PM: Team lunch (informal relationship building)
• 1:30 PM: Org overview presentation (45 min)
• 2:30 PM: Org-wide welcome email sent
• 3:00 PM+: Solo work processing information

• Key Principle: Listen 80%, talk 20%
• Activities: 1-on-1s with leadership team (30 min each, 6-8 meetings)
• Observation: Operations walk, customer calls, team interactions
• No Decisions: Collect information first, analyze later
• End of Week 5: CEO debrief on initial observations

Deliverable	Format	Completion Target	Audience
Operational Gap Analysis	20-30 page document	Day 20-25	CEO, board
Process Inventory	Google Sheet (50-100 processes)	Day 25	Operations leadership
Quick Wins List	5-page summary (3-5 initiatives)	Day 25	CEO, leadership team
KPI Dashboard	Live dashboard or weekly report	Day 30	CEO, board
Risk Register	Document (all identified risks)	Day 30	CEO, board

• ✓ Stakeholder engagement: 90%+ of leadership team met
• ✓ Gap analysis complete and insights documented
• ✓ Quick wins identified with clear timelines
• ✓ Team stability achieved (no unplanned departures)
• ✓ Clear decision-making framework established

Theme: Listen, understand, build credibility

Milestone	Target Date	Success Criteria
Stakeholder onboarding	Day 20	90%+ of leadership team met
Gap analysis documented	Day 25	20-30 page assessment complete
Quick wins identified	Day 25	3-5 initiatives scoped
KPI dashboard live	Day 30	12-15 metrics tracked
90-day roadmap approved	Day 30	CEO & board aligned

Theme: Deliver quick wins, build team confidence, drive changes

• Quick wins launched and showing results (50% complete)
• Process documentation 40-50% underway
• Early improvements visible to organization
• Team restructuring (if needed) communicated
• First round of KPI improvements visible

Theme: Embed sustainable changes, prepare transition, plan next phase

Milestone	Target Date	Success Criteria
All quick wins complete	Day 75	90%+ delivered
Process improvements sustainable	Day 80	Owned by teams, not interim
Successor plan finalized	Day 85	Internal or external identified
Full documentation complete	Day 90	90% of knowledge transferred
Transition plan executed	Day 90	Successor confident & aligned

Timing	Format	Duration	Focus
Weekly (Optional)	Async update or brief call	15-30 min	Pulse check, blockers, quick wins
Bi-weekly (Standard)	Structured check-in	45-60 min	Progress on milestones, KPIs, course correction
Monthly (Formal)	Formal review + feedback	60-90 min	Month results, KPIs, feedback, next month plan
30/60/90 Days	Milestone review	90-120 min	Achievement vs. plan, strategic review, board input

1. Progress Update (15 min): Week's activities, KPI tracking, stakeholder reactions
2. KPI Review (15 min): Metrics status, early wins realized, setbacks
3. Blockers & Support (15 min): What's holding back progress, CEO decisions needed
4. Feedback & Course Correction (15 min): CEO observations, what's working/needs adjustment

• Interim submits: KPI results, accomplishments, challenges, next month priorities
• CEO reviews: Team feedback, stakeholder pulse, board observations

1. Monthly Results (20 min): KPI dashboard, quick wins progress, team/customer feedback
2. Accomplishments & Challenges (15 min): Successes, frustrations, surprises
3. CEO & Board Feedback (10 min): Observations, team feedback, CEO concerns & recognition
4. Course Correction (10 min): Adjust priorities? Accelerate/decelerate? Change focus?
5. Next Month Plan (5 min): Interim's priorities vs. CEO expectations

Red Flag	Signal	CEO Action
Loss of Team Confidence	Resistance to leadership, skepticism	Meet interim to understand perspective, check with 2-3 key stakeholders, address directly
Not Understanding Business	Misaligned proposals, basic questions	Provide business mentoring, check if industry expertise gap, reassess at Day 30
Moving Too Fast	Implementing without full understanding	Direct: "Slow down, validate before execute." Reassess approach.
No Progress (45+ days)	Still analyzing, no quick wins visible	Direct conversation: "What's blocking progress?" Provide support, escalate if no movement.
Process Without Outcomes	Documentation without results	Refocus on outcomes: "Beautiful process doesn't matter if results don't happen"

Red Flag	What It Means	What to Do
Unexplained 3-4 month gaps	Left mid-project? Forced out?	Ask directly in interview, verify with references
Roles >3 years labeled "interim"	Wasn't really interim, overstayed	Dig into why engagement extended, assess staying power
Vague job descriptions	Unclear about scope and impact	Ask for specific deliverables and results from each role
No documentation samples	May not focus on leaving things better	Request process docs, playbooks, transition plans
References can't speak to results	Impact unclear or questionable	Keep looking, or dig much deeper into what happened
All past roles seem identical	Maybe copy-pasting approach vs. custom thinking	Assess whether they customize to context

• Mitigation: Require documentation from Day 1 (not Day 90). Process docs, decision logs, playbooks.

• Mitigation: Deep reference calls on industry-specific challenges. Trial period assessment at Day 30 with go/no-go decision.

• Mitigation: Red flag suggesting interim doesn't understand org well enough. Monitor departures closely, address at Day 30 if >15% turnover.

• Mitigation: Build changes into systems/processes, not just interim's decisions. Require internal ownership by Month 3. Train successor/permanent leader during overlap.

• Mitigation: Monthly board updates, 30/60/90 presentations, open Q&A. Empower CEO to support interim, model confidence.

• Mitigation: Clear exit date in contract with notice period. Start transition planning at Month 2. Have permanent replacement identified by Month 3.

Address immediately: "Here's what I'm seeing... Here's what concerns me... Here's what needs to change."

• Interim agrees and corrects → Continue
• Different root cause identified → Address blockers
• Interim defensive → Likely fit issue, start exit planning

If Phase 1 didn't resolve:

• Assign executive coach
• Increase CEO involvement (weekly check-ins)
• Set clear success criteria for improvement
• Frequent feedback

After 4-6 weeks, clear it's not working:

• CEO & board alignment (not unilateral)
• Attempt mutual agreement if possible (cleaner exit)
• Clear terms: notice period, payment, transition support
• Backfill plan immediately (who covers interim period?)